Pope Francis’ convalescence continues at his residence of Casa Santa Marta with his continued treatment, mobility and respiratory-related physiotherapy, especially for voice recovery, personal prayer, and concelebrating Mass in the residence’s chapel.
These were among the updates the Holy See Press Office provided to accredited journalists regarding the Pope’s health after he was discharged on Sunday, 23 March, following 38 days of hospitalization in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital due to bilateral pneumonia.
After greeting 3,000 people from a balcony at the hospital and briefly stopping at Rome’s Marian Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Pope Francis returned to his Vatican resi-dence, Casa Santa Marta, where he began his period of recovery and rest.
The Pope’s period of convalescence and rest at his residence should be about “two months,” maintained Doctor Sergio Alfieri, the doctor overseeing the Pope’s hospitaliza-tion at Gemelli, and Dr. Luigi Carbone, his personal physician, at Saturday evening’s press conference at Gemelli Hospital.
“The Pope,” the Holy See Press Office noted on March 25, “is following the convalescence plan as described by the doctors on Saturday.” At the time, Doctors Alfieri and Carbone stated that the Holy Father must continue pharmacological treatment “for a long time, administered orally,” while undergoing full-time mobility and respiratory-related physiotherapy, continuing as he had done daily at the Gemelli.
The physicians also advised him to avoid meetings, whether individual or group, and to receive 24-hour medical assistance to provide for his needs, including oxygen therapy, and to address any possible emergencies. This care is being provided by the Directorate of Health and Hygiene of Vatican City and a medical team is always present with the Pope.
The Holy Father continues to receive oxygen therapy under the same conditions as during his hospitalization—high-flow oxygen through nasal cannulas at night, with a gradual reduction of oxygen therapy during the day.